A/N:
So…yes…the cameo was Seth. Keep an eye out for him.
And now I just say one word…tissues….
Chapter 20 – Almost three month later
Roman nervously wrung his hands. He checked his appearance in the mirror again. He looked perfect. His hair was brushed back into a bun. His beard was trimmed neatly. His black suit fit him like a second skin.
He was ready to get that first Michelin star.
After one last deep breath he walked out into the restaurant.
He was surprised that so many people had come. It had snowed for two days straight and now it was freezing. And it was only Dec 7th! The most of the winter was still ahead of them!
When he entered the restaurant his friends all clapped for him.
Nikki and Brie kissed him, Damien shook his hand, Daniel clapped his shoulder and Tony kissed him on the mouth right there.
The jury came forward words were exchanged and Roman received the certificate that represented his first Michelin star.
He stared at it for the longest time. A vital part of that star was the steak he served since Dean had spiced it up. Dean. He still kept looking for him. He asked Beth every week about any news when he was at the shelter but the blonde lunatic remained missing. He took an hour each day to walk the streets or drive around in his car. But there was simply no sign of Dean. It was like he had vanished.
"You deserve this." Tony whispered in his ear and squeezed his butt.
No. Dean did. This was Dean's star more than it was his.
Antonio gave him no time to dwell in sad thoughts. He took his hand and introduced him to a couple of important people.
The rest of his friends celebrated this evening.
Nikki and her boyfriend John Cena were among the first to leave.
They said their goodbyes, put on their warm clothes and left.
John hugged Nikki tightly to him. When they passed the back alley Nikki stopped. Her spine tingled and she simply had to look down the alley. She had done this so many times since Dean left. At first she had looked at the alley a couple times a day. Now it was just every now and then. But tonight her neck prickled and she stopped even if it was freezing cold and she looked down the dark patch of street. And that's when she saw him…
Before John could react she ran down the alley to a dark shadow. Without any second thoughts Nikki turned the figure in the snow around and gasped.
"Dean. Oh my God." She looked up at John.
"Get Roman. Quick. And call an ambulance. Go!"
Nikki put Deans head into her lap while her boyfriend ran away to get Roman.
She didn't care if she ruined her expensive pants in the snow, she just wanted to make Dean as comfortable as possible. He looked like hell. He was so thin, his face was covered under a thick beard and his hair was messy.
She hardly recognized him but she would always know Dean under a thousand homeless men.
He was passed out but Nikki saw that he clutched something in his hand. Gently she pried it out of his fingers and saw that it was a piece of a newspaper. It was the article from today that announced that Roman would receive his Michelin star tonight and it would be celebrated at his restaurant.
He came back in a way, to be close to Roman tonight. To be with him on this important day. And she knew that he would never have let anyone known that he was out here if he wouldn't have passed out.
"Oh Dean you idiot." she said softly and stroked his cheek. He seemed to be hot to the touch even though it was freaking cold outside. He was probably sick. Really sick.
Finally the back door opened and Roman shot out. He pushed her aside but she understood it perfectly.
John helped her up and together they watched as Roman picked Dean up with ease and carried him inside through the door Tony held open. The Swiss man looked guilty somehow but Nikki couldn't really understand why.
Roman carried Dean into his office and put him on the floor there. He had nowhere else to put him. He started to take off Deans torn gloves and the sorry excuse for a scarf.
Next was the jacket. It was the same one he had worn in late summer. That stupid thin piece of shit.
Underneath he had only a thin lumberjack shirt.
He grabbed the blanket Nikki gave him and wrapped Dean inside of it and then he pulled him close to his own body to provide him with warmth. He ignored the unclean smell and was thankful when Brie took Deans old clothes to put them away.
"Dean? Can you hear me? Dean baby, wake up. Come on. You are out of the cold." Roman whispered while he rubbed Dean's arms all the time. He felt every bone through the lumberjack shirt and it made him furious. And he felt so helpless. They had put weight back on Dean before he left. Before he…
"Oh God." Roman groaned and hugged Dean even closer.
He was completely oblivious to the other people in the room.
He didn't see how John held Nikki close to provide comfort or how Tony stared down at him. He didn't notice that Brian and Daniel had started to clear the restaurant.
"I will look for the ambulance." Antonio said and left.
"Dean. Wake up." Roman mumbled and finally he felt Dean stir just a little bit.
"Dean? Its me. I am here. I will not let you go." he said louder now.
"Ro?" Deans voice was so small and he immediately started to cough violently.
"That sounds like pneumonia." John provided and an icy feeling crawled down Romans spine.
"A star." Dean pressed out between coughs and he opened his eyes a little. His once sparkling blue eyes were lifeless and pale now and it broke Romans heart.
"Yes. I got a star tonight. Thanks to you. Your steak practically did it."
Dean coughed again and closed his eyes and Roman wanted to scream.
"Stay awake Dean. Come on. Don't sleep you lazy ass." he told him and Dean opened his eyes again a little bit. They were wet now with tears.
"Hurts Ro. So tired. Please." Never in his whole life had Roman felt so helpless. Dean was right there in his arms again but he was about to slip away just like that. And he couldn't let that happen. Dean would not go anywhere.
"An ambulance is on its way. You can sleep after they have taken care of you. Fight damn it. Don't you give up you hear me. I ask you to please don't do anything crazy tonight Dean."
He lowered his mouth to Dean's ear and whispered softly: "It is your birthday my love. You will not die on your freaking birthday. On the day I got a fucking star."
"Then 'morrow." Dean whispered back. And Roman felt his grip tighten on his hand. Dean was scared. So scared. And hurt. And tired.
Just as Roman wanted to ask for the ambulance Tony ran in with two medics.
They looked at Dean and curled their lips and Roman wanted to get into their face but Nikki was quicker.
"You will give him your best care! He is our friend! All the bills will be paid. You will do EVERYTHING in your power to save him, you hear me?" She looked like a fury and it probably helped that John loomed behind her. Having a boyfriend who was a pro wrestler paid off sometimes.
"Yes Ma'am." one medic said and they got to work on Dean.
Antonio grabbed Roman and pulled him to the side a bit.
"Let them do their jobs Roman." he told him quietly and Roman could barely watch as they treated Dean.
After five minutes he was ready for transport and Roman climbed into the back of the ambulance and looked at the medics who wanted to protest.
"Let him tag along." one finally said and they drove off.
Without even talking about it Nikki, John, Brie, Daniel, Damien and Tony got into two cars and followed the ambulance to a nearby hospital.
They arrived and found Roman pacing outside one of the ER rooms.
"We will take care of your friend. He is in good hands and we will do our best. Let the nurse bring you to the waiting area." Deans doctor told them and it took Brie and Nikki to pull Roman away and into the quiet room.
Roman sat down on a chair and everyone else either paced or sat down as well. Some talked softly.
Nikki sat down next to Roman.
"He had this in his hand when I found him."
Roman looked at the newspaper article Nikki had pressed into his hand.
It was out of the Brooklyn Gazette. That was like over an hour away by car from the restaurant. Maybe half a day by foot. He had walked through this weather just because he had seen this article. In his condition.
"He wanted to be close to you." Nikki told Roman and he nodded. But that didn't make him feel any better. If at all it made him feel worse. His Dean crossed the damn city in a weather like this most likely on foot and really ill just to be close to him.
In the past few month Roman's mind had played over the last happy days with Dean over and over again. Sometimes he came to the conclusion that Dean had loved him like he had loved Dean. On bad days he doubted that Dean ever felt anything for him. And after that he felt even worse and kicked himself for even thinking that.
But this…this article…Dean crossing the city in his condition to be close to him…if that was no declaration of love then Roman didn't know what could count as one. Fucking bastard. Stupid man with such a soft heart. He wanted to kick Dean and hug him at the same time for his actions.
After on hour with no information John got coffee for everyone and Tony became restless. He got up and paced.
"Sit down man." John told him.
Antonio pushed his hands over his shaved head.
"No listen. I have to say something." Everyone looked up at the serious tone.
"It is my fault. I pushed Dean away. I told him to get lost and then I would guarantee that Roman got the star. He didn't want to go but in the end giving Roman that star was more important to him."
Roman just stared, Brie inhaled sharply but Damien and Nikki got up at the same time. Nikki was quicker and slapped Antonio across the face. Just when his face came to a halt on his right side Damien slapped him too and his face was turned to the left.
He held his left side, Nikkis slap must have hurt more. "I deserved that." he told them.
"I was jealous Roman. I wanted you back and there was this great cook now who not only worked for you but was in your bed as well. I felt threatened. But you have to believe me that this is not what I thought would happen. The guy had been fine on the streets before. How could I…"
John stepped in front of Roman in the nick of time. He could read people really well and Roman had been about to tackle Antonio. Now he sat back on his ass.
"Leave. Don't ever come back." Roman told Antonio quietly and the Swiss nodded and turned around with a hanging head.
Just as he was about to leave the doctor walked in.
Antonio saw her first and his heart dropped. Cowardly he slipped out of the room before the others saw the stern face of the doctor.
Roman looked up and jumped to his feet.
"How is he doing?" He sounded almost hopeful.
"Mr Reigns. Your friend is really sick. Is has an advanced pneumonia. His condition is really critical. We are not sure if he survives the night. It doesn't look good and you should prepare for the worst."
Roman just stared at the female doctor. He heard Brie and Nikki cry but he just stood there.
"Go first." he told the twins and Damien.
Daniel and John remained with him not saying a word.
After ten minutes Nikki, Brie and Damien came back.
"We will wait for you here." Brie told Roman but he shook his head.
"No. Go home. Get some rest. I am fine. Take them home." he told John and Daniel and left. A nurse brought him to a room where only Dean was in. He was not in the loud and crowded ER anymore. He had quiet here. Silence to face what could be his last hours on this earth.
"Stay as long as you want. Press the button if anything comes up. I will close the door for your privacy. Anything you need just ask."
The nurse left and Roman grabbed a chair and put it next to Deans left side. In his left arm were no needles and he could grab the hand.
In the hospital gown Roman could see just how thin Dean really was and it pained him.
"I am here Dean. I will not go anywhere. I never stopped looking for you. Fight you hear me, fight." He pressed the cold hand to his cheek and held it there.
Holding Dean's hand calmed him a little and he closed his eyes for just a little bit. It had been a chaotic day with him ending up in the hospital with Dean back in his life. Somewhere along the way Roman dozed off…
A/N: So…ummm…Dean is back fighting for his life.